R42 (New York City Subway car)
| R42 (New York City Subway car) | |
|---|---|
 #4719 on the J. | |
 Interior of car #4834 | |
| Constructed | 1969-1970 |
| Number built | 400 |
| Number in service | 273 |
| Number scrapped | 125 |
| Specifications | |
| Car length | 60 ft (18.3 m) |
| Doors | 8 |
The R42 is a New York City Subway car built in 1969–70. It was the last 60-foot (18 m) IND-BMT car built for the subway until the R143 in 2001, and the last model class to be built in pairs (mated sets). Thereafter, the New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA) switched for the time being to 75-foot (23 m) cars for the IND–BMT divisions.
Built by the St. Louis Car Company in St. Louis, Missouri, the R42 were the first fully original air-conditioned car class in the New York City Subway. They are used on the A, E, J, and Z lines. Cars on the A often intermix with the R40Ms. As more R160As are delivered and enter service, R42s were shifted from East New York Yard (J, L, M, and Z), to Pitkin Yard (A, C) in order of lowest numbered cars being the first to go. These R42s replaced the R32 Phase I cars on those lines, which were then sent to Jamaica Yard (E, F, G, R and V) to retire the R32 Phase II cars. As of August 4th, 2008, some R42 cars have been transferred to Jamaica Yard to run on the E and replace the same cars.
Cars 4554-4555 were the first R42s in service on May 9, 1969 (in a mixed train on the BMT Sea Beach Line).
282 cars (4550-4839) were overhauled by Morrison-Knudsen. The last 110 cars (4840-4949), all of which have since been retired, were rebuilt by NYCTA Coney Island Shop in Coney Island, Brooklyn. The one minor difference in appearance between the two overhauls was that many cars of the Coney Island version featured the original blue door indicator lights at the ends of the cars. These lights were removed from the Morrison-Knudsen rebuilds. Rebuilding of the R42 fleet spanned from 1988 to 1989.
R42s 4680, 4681, 4714, 4715, 4766, and 4767 were scrapped in 1988. 4664 was scrapped in 2001 after a rear-end collision on the Williamsburg Bridge in June 1995. Its mate, 4665, was paired with R40M 4460, the other car left without a mate in the Williamsburg bridge accident. A consist of R42s was involved in an accident at Chambers Street Station on November 6, 2007. The entire consist, consisting of cars 4730, 4731, 4624,4625, 4818,4819, 4786, and 4787were hauled away to 207th street yard for reefing, even though only the first two cars suffered major damage and the next four cars were only lightly damaged.[1][2] As the cars are relatively old, and replacement cars are currently arriving, it was determined that it would make little fiscal sense to repair them. 4572-73 were used in the famous chase scene in the film The French Connection.
The incoming R160A/R160B order will replace some or all of the R42 fleet. All of the Coney Island rebuilt R42s as well as the 8 cars involved in the Chambers Street accident mentioned above have been retired and undergoing stripping at 207th Street Yard for reefing/sinking along the Atlantic coast.
References
- Sansone, Gene. Evolution of New York City subways: An illustrated history of New York City's transit cars, 1867-1997. New York Transit Museum Press, New York, 1997 ISBN 978-0963749284